The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1887-10-14

to stand IN the way Of it. Efficient public
schools is one great need IN North Caro>
lina.-Stdte Chronicle.
We haye read a great many anus
ing things in our life, but as rule,
it is seldom the ordinary newspaper
rnan undertakes to dictate or suggest
to the highest judicial tribunal in
State how TO construe the constitu>
ton and the statutes Of the State.
But there are exceptions to I'll rules
and the above is one, We presume
Chief Justice Smith and Associate
JUS ices Merrlmon ald Davis know
at least almost as well what they
ouIht to do aud what they ought not
20 DO as the eApounders OF the cen
~titution ani the construers of tie
statutory laws of the State, as the
editor OF the Chronicle. And al
though these distinguished judlcial
lights may not know as much law as
some of The Younger members of the
quill driving brigade, yet we believe
thy are as honest, and have as
much at heat the interest of the
State. Ard in addition to that they
have superadded the solemn obliga-
ton Of an oath to obey the constitu
ton of the State. Yet brother
Daniels SAYS they ought not to
stand longer in the way" Wei
further comment is unnecessary.
Brother Daniels says the Supreme
Court ought to do thus and so that
his ideas and principles may be put
in practice. Well we reckon he Is
right and tt Snpreme Court l.
wrong. He says the school tax
ought to be doubled" 1t is pow
l2lcents on tie $loO worth of pro
perty and in some Of the Eastern
counties, aud we presume the same
is true of the West. forty elght>fft
ieths Of thst IS paid by tie white peo-
pie and two-th!rds ofthese forty eight
fiftieths goes not to the education OF
white children but to the education
of colored children. Yet cur broth
er says it ought to be doubled, Our
soul must be very small or our BROTH
ers must very large.At all events we
Can't see things as he sees them.
Neither the Republican party hor
the negroes if there is any distinc>
ton between the two. ever demand :
ed so much from the white tax.pay-
ers of the State. We would prefer
to fall into the hands of tie enemy
than into the hands Of such friends.
We have no sort Of doubt but that
Mr.. Daniels is perfectly honest and
sincere in bis opinions on THIS
subject. But we have seen many
philauthropists AMI good hearted
fellows, bestow their private charity
and bounty upon some very un-
worthy objects, and we have seen
the States in their cooperate capacl-
ties commit like blunders. A private
individual has right to do as he
pIeases with his own funds and be-
stow them on just such objects as
may suit his fancy. But State has
not that right. 1t, so to speak, is
bound by the constitution and the
accumulated will of the people as
certained by the ballot. The con
stitution IN words and figures do net
cav how much we sha'
-. ue taxed 60,
! ,..poses. but the peor al
I the ballot box has said l21 cents OF
the hundred Dollars, but brother
Daniels says that is not enough anc
that it ought to be twenty-five cent?
on the hundred dollars worth of pro
perty. We propose to be heard. il
living from the sea coast to the
noun aims. before our people shall
ever be taxed twenty-five cents OF
the hundred dollars to educate tn,
negro or the white man.